10 Facts You May Not Know About Eating in China

Different
countries have different eating customs. You may have tasted Chinese food in
your country, but things are different
in China. If you are planning a trip to China, this article will help you
to know the basic facts about eating in China.

Chinese use chopsticks to pick up food.

1. Chinese use chopsticks to pick up food, not knives and forks. See Chopsticks to learn
how to use them and to learn about chopstick taboos.

2.Wheat
noodles are the main staple diet in northern China,
while rice is the main staple in the south. Restaurants
in southern China also offer noodles, but they are usually rice noodles.

3. Rice is served separately (in shared meals): in small bowls. Meat/vegetable
dishes are served on plates or in bigger bowls, placed in the middle for everyone
to share. It's not one plate each, like in the West (unless eating fast food)!

4. Chinese cuisine varies across China. There
are many regional cuisines with different
flavors: spicy, sweet, sour, hearty, etc. Read more about China's
regional cuisines.

Round table with lazy Susan in the middle

5. Restaurants usually provide a round table for more than four persons. There
may be a tempered glass lazy Susan in
the middle of the table, which swivels round enabling you to reach each dish easily.

7. There are usually no salt or pepper shakers, or bottles of tomato sauce on the table. But in compensation you may
find bottles of soy sauce, vinegar, and chili paste.

Popular hot pot restaurants

8. Some Chinese restaurants can be quite noisy and smoky where people don't control their talking volume or smoking; though bans on smoking in public places have recently been implemented in some areas.

9.Tips
are not expected in Chinese restaurants. The service fee is included
in the food prices.

10. If the
Chinese friend you are eating with put food on your
plate, it's to show closeness and friendliness, not because they don't want
it, or think you can't do it yourself. Nowadays this happens more often at family meals
, where the young pass on food to their elders to show respect.

Travel to China and Experience Chinese Eating

To learn more facts
about Chinese eating, take one of our private China tours.You may find out more interesting eating habits of the Chinese. See
our recommended tours below for inspiration: